This Time Last Week.....

....there was to be April MD Shores Rug Camp except it was cancelled for the second year in a row due to Covid.  So thought I'd reminisce, share parts of it with you and dream of the one for 2022.  I registered for Norma Batastini in 2018 but due to her health Eric Sandberg filled in for her.

I've had Eric before, he is a great teacher, very prepared and hands-on with students.  Eric LOVES color and I've always remembered his quote "light, bright, dark, dull" for what makes a good rug; although I don't always adhere to his advice.

The rug pattern I took for class was one for which I had no color plans but took wool colors I like and which go with my home interior.  Of course I'm always open to buy wool to make the rug better or wool that is just yummy for the future.  The design is called Flower Power.  Remember, I'm a primitive hooker and love antique rugs with dirty colors 😊.   In full disclosure the April camp is a McGowan camp therefore destiny might be determined.

This is the finished rug, it is pretty and definitely has Eric's signature all over, just not my signature.  Plus I've never displayed it in my house as it looks out of place.  Anyone want to buy a rug?

Yet I have been known to hook rugs with color, not all of mine have been drab or dull rugs.  Here is an antique adaptation I did called Stars and Diamonds ~ quite colorful I'd say.

Eric used me as a model for his color planning lesson on what wool doesn't work in color planning a rug.  I snapped the photo just as he was  gesturing in my direction, you can see the other gals chuckling as was I.  He said my colors were bland and basically all the same boring value.  Did I care?  Nope, ran off me like water on a duck's back.

Here are a few rugs from the show.  The one below was hooked by Capri and had a price tag on it of $6,862.  It was a big beautiful rug.

The one below is named Cape May.

In the rugs below I see a Bev Conway design with a girl and horse so there was at least one other primitive hooker in attendance.

Dorset Flowers below and I love that background with the soft large blocks of plaid.

Gettysburg, a Quail Hill design, is the rug below.

Love Margaret Shaw's designs and here is a rabbit design by her in progress.  Yes, at the McGowan rug camp but obviously not in my class.

Be still my heart...sure do love this Poppies piece below!!!!!  See, I do like color after all.

This is something I learned from this geometric hooker and another friend who does this.  When working on a big rug at rug camp pull loops where color is established to maximize time with the teacher for color planning then take it home with the story already planned out.  Easy peasy.  

One last photo I'd like to share is this fantastic pin hooked by Tish Murphy of Pierre Keller, Eric's grandfather.  It was unbelievably realistic and must have been hooked with colored dental floss size strips.  WOW!!!!  Do you believe what you are seeing right now??

Happy Hooking.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

What Happened at Rug Camp Doesn't Stay at Rug Camp 😉

In a previous post I mentioned Eric Sandberg was my teacher again after 12 years.  Must say this class was top notch and would definitely take a class with him again.   Not sure if that will happen as he retired, has no wool (except for his personal stash), and only doing this gig since he is a substitute teacher for Maryland Shores Rug Camp.

Below Eric gathered us together to talk basics about...."light, bright, dark, dull".  For those who had Eric as a teacher before know these words by heart.

We students gathered in a circle and took turns showing our project and wool colors we'd brought to camp.  

Eric is working with us individually and we are learning as each person's rug is being color planned.    

It is impossible to give his 5 day class in just one blog post but there are many easy to remember hooking lessons ~ the Three Bears and Goldilocks, for just one example.  Don't ask, it would take too long to explain.  But OMG I will never forget that!!!

Below is a photo of Eric with just one of the hand-outs provided.  Cannot wait for life to get back to normal so I can read them.  He covered most in class but there is more in the handouts about hit and miss, geometric, dyeing hints and so much more.

Notice Eric also has a piece of wool in his hand.  He brought pieces to toss into the mix of what the student brought just to show how adding another color or value would change the rug.  

Below, this picture shows Eric using me as a 'teaching lesson' for bringing mostly medium value wool.  I brought red, blue, old gold and green ~ plus dirty white or black for background.

You can see students chuckling and I knew it was in good fun, yet a lesson for those who prefer colorful rugs ~ I was, after all, the 'what's different in the picture".   Eric said he took a class with Barb Carroll so he would be better able to work with primitive students.  

On another day we each took one or two rugs we'd brought for the rug show.  Students decided to have him 'critique' or suggest, how he would have chosen different wools.  We had to raise our right hand and pledge....."There is no such thing as an ugly rug, some are just better than others"

In the lesson above Eric used the Johannes Itten color wheel "The Color Star".   I'm sitting on a gold mine and have only looked at it briefly a few times.  Thankfully mine was purchased when the cost was maybe $40.  Because of Eric I unearthed my Star Wheel and will use it with future rugs.   BUT... lol, if I am replicating an antique rug of a woman who didn't know about bright, contrast, value, etc., I will hook it like the woman did but using what is in my stash.  

On that day I noticed a fantastic hooked pin Eric was wearing.  I asked if it was an image of him.  He said it was an image of his grandfather Pierre Keller which was hooked by Tish Murphy.    Was unbelievable to see the detail with wool which seemed to be hooked with floss it was so thin.  

Oh there is so much more to share from rug camp but will be in separate blog posts.  My hope is to have more time to pull more loops on my rug before having to share it.  But reality has given me yard work, laundry, pattern drawing, etc.  I like being on vacation better 😁

Saundra